Best Android apps.

With over 1.5 million apps available on Android, it can be a bit of a minefield working out which ones are worth downloading.

So we teamed up with three great websites (techonthego.co.uk, theupcoming.co.uk and thedigitallifestyle.com) to find out which apps in the jam-packed Google Play Store are the most popular with their blog readers. We’ve grouped the most popular apps into four categories: Gaming, Social, Entertainment and Useful - so let’s check out which ones came out on top…

Described on the Play Store as ‘life-ruiningly fun’, the most famous family on the small screen is a huge hit with app fans. Homer accidently causes a meltdown that wipes out Springfield and it’s up to you to rebuild it.

“Simpsons Tapped Out, the most addictive game on Android!” - Donato Pompei

The feisty feathered friends are a hard one to beat and Angry Birds flies into your top three gaming apps. Described as “simple but addictive”, it’s no surprise that the version you pay for is the number one paid-for app of all time.

Another free messaging service that rates highly is Viber. You can send free messages and make free calls to other Viber users, on any device and network, in any country. According to one blog reader it “always works, always saves me money”. Sounds like the perfect combination.

With this super-fast, real-time mobile chat app you can snap a photo or a video, add a caption, send it to a friend, and set a time limit for how long people can view it (from 1 to 10 seconds). When the time’s up, the ‘snap’ will be hidden and deleted from Snapchat's servers - never to be seen again! According to Snapchat in May 2014, users were sending 700 million photos and videos a day.

Best entertainment apps.

When it comes to TV, Sky has it covered, and Sky Go sets the standard for apps too. This one lets you watch your favourite shows wherever you go and, even better, it’s available to all Sky TV customers at no extra cost.

You don’t need a Kindle to download books, and whether you’re a complete bookworm or just looking for a holiday read, this app is for you. It’s free, easy to use and gives you access to more than 1.5million titles – so you’d better get started now.

You can get this app free as part of your Netflix membership and it gives you instant access to thousands of TV episodes and movies on your phone. It’s easy to use and essential if you want to bring the big screen to your pocket.

Most useful apps.

Appearing in the New York Times ‘Top 10 Must-Have Apps’, Evernote is an easy-to-use, free app that helps you get organised across all your devices. Take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders – and it’s all searchable, whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go.

It’s annoying when you run out of battery and can’t get your hands on a charger, but Battery Doctor makes that a thing of the past. This free app can extend your battery life up to 50% by finding apps and settings that drain power on your device.

“Found Battery Doctor a month ago and it’s completely changed how much and how well I can use my phone.” - Mark Whittaker

If you’ve got a Samsung Smart TV, this nifty app will turn your phone into a remote control and you can use it just as you would the real thing. That means no more wrestling the remote from your partner – now you’re in charge.